1. Technical Field
One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to a retaining structure for a terminal fitting.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electric power is supplied to a drive motor of an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle via a connector. In connectors for use for motors, a terminal fitting is rigidly fixed to a connector housing to transmit high voltage electric power. However, in a case of a connector in which a terminal fitting and a connector housing cannot move relative to each other, in attempting to connect the connector to a mating connector, when the terminal fitting is misaligned with a terminal fitting of the mating connector due to a dimensional tolerance of a gap defined between the terminal fittings, a large frictional force may be produced, making it difficult for the connector to be connected to the mating connector.
Therefore, a shielded connector is proposed which facilitates a smooth connection with a mating connector (see below-described PTL 1).
As shown in FIG. 5, this shielded connector 501 includes a connector housing 503, a terminal fitting 505 and an inner housing 507.
The connector housing 503 is made of conductive metal and has a cylindrical shape. The connector housing 503 includes a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 509. The terminal fitting 505 is accommodated in the inner housing 507. The terminal fitting 505 is made of conductive metal and includes an electric wire connecting portion 511 and an electric contact portion 513 which are integrated with each other. The electric wire connecting portion 511 and the electric contact portion 513 are formed into cylindrical shapes and are coaxially connected to each other and in series. A core wire 517 of a shielded electric wire 515 is inserted into an inside of the electric wire connecting portion 511, which is then crimped for connection with the shielded electric wire 515.
The inner housing 507 is made of an insulating synthetic resin and has a cylindrical shape. The inner housing 507 accommodates the terminal fitting 505 and an end portion of the shielded electric wire 515 which is connected to the terminal fitting 505. A pair of lances (locking lances) 519 are provided on the shielded connector 501, and these lances 519 are formed integrally with the inner housing 507. The lances 519 are locked at a step portion 521 of the connector housing 503 to thereby fix the inner housing 507 to the connector housing 503. The pair of lances 519 are so flexible that they can elastically be deformed so as to move towards each other. Additionally, the shielded connector 501 includes a packing 523 which keeps the boundary between the shielded electric wire 515 and the inner housing 507 watertight.
According to this shielded connector 501, the cylindrical inner housing 507 is allowed to move in a radial direction relative to the connector housing 503 as a result of the lances 519 being elastically deformed. Further, the terminal fitting 505 and the inner housing 507 are allowed to move relative to each other by the gap defined between the terminal fitting 505 and the inner housing 507. In connecting the shielded connector 501 to the mating connector, the terminal fitting 505 and the inner housing 507 move relative to the connector housing 503 so that the terminal fitting 505 is aligned with the terminal fitting of the mating connector. Consequently, the shielded connector 501 can be connected smoothly to the mating connector.
PTL 1 is JP-A-2003-323932.